Grip testing device



0a. 17, 1950 c. G. MEYER 2,526,495

GRIP TESTING DEVICE 5- Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 20, 1946 filare k er-He's A tfiorney C. G. MEYER GRIP TESTING DEVICE Oct. 17, 1950 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed bec. 20, 1946 fl .l @plwu W. R we .M &||| 8 e 2 g)3 o O i 9 9 1' o i o 5 do 7 5 Wm w w 0 2 2 A; k.

Oct. 17, 1950 c. s. MEYER 2,526,495

GRIP TESTING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fild Dec. 20, 1946 IN VEN TOR.

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0a. 17, 1950 c. G. MEYER 2,526,495

GRIP TESTING DEVICE Filed use. 20, 194% s Shets-Shet 4 INVENTOR. Clarefljfle 6/ Oct. 17, 1950 c. GQMEYER 2,526,495

GRIP TESTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 20, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.CZareffJ/y g #63 46$ am e Patented Oct. 17, 1950 GRIP TESTING DEVICEClare G. Meyer, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Exhibit Supply Company,Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 20, 1946,Serial No. 717,473 '7 Claims. (Cl. '73380 My invention relates to griptesting devices.

More specifically the invention relates to an apparatus having aplurality of electric bulbs ar: ranged in alignment to the rear of aglass panel having superimposed over the aligned bulbs a picture oroutline of a thermometer, whereby when the gripping apparatus of thedevice is actuated and by reason of such actuation, these light bulbsare successively illuminated, they will simulate the rise of mercury inthe thermometer.-

In this aspect of the invention, the object is to provide a device ofthe character hereinafter describedwhich will be simple in construction,economical in manufacture, and easy of operation,

together with the object of affording pleasureas well as amusement tothe operator.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which Fig. lis a perspective view of an apparatus em bodying my invention and with aface panel thereof partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the gripping members embodied inthe invention; a

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1with the back wall or rear panel removed;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary back perspective View of the apparatus shown inFig. 1 illustrating a hinged mounting panel in partly open position;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the gripping de-v vice and light bulbcontrol mechanism embodied in the invention;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. '7 is a side elevational view of certain resetting mechanismembodied in the invention;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional detail view of a coin slide embodiedin the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatical plan view of an electric circuit embodied inthe invention.

The several objects of my invention are accomplished by the preferredform of construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichdrawings a cabinet is indicated at Hi. This cabinet comprises an uppersection l i and a lower section I2, the upper section it being steppedback from the'topof the lower section !2 to provide an exposed top wallI3.

The front wall M of the cabinet Ill carries a coin slide l5. This coinslide I5 per se con: stitutes no part of the present invention. Any

1 bars 25.

approved coin slide may be used. It is preferable that a coin slide ofthe construction shown in United States Patent No. 1,908,380, dated May9, 1933, be employed, in which coin slide there is provided a guidestructure it and a slide plate H. The guide structure 56 is connected tothe wall M by suitable bolts I8. This slide ll pro- Vides a finger piecel9 and, like the slide of the patent referred to, has a coin receivingaperture (not shown) in which the coin is deposited in order tocondition the aparatus for operation.

The lower section l2 of the .cabinet it) provides oppositely disposedsupporting cleats 20 on which is removably supported a mounting plate2|. This mounting plate 2] has a cutout portion 22 for reasonshereinafter more apparent.

On this mounting-plate 2!, there is secured, as by means of screws 23',a substantially flat plate 24. On this plate 24, and arranged inconfrontingrelation with respect to each other are guide .bars 25,providing, together with the plate 24, guiding grooves 26. These guidebars 25 are secured to this plate 24 by means of screws 21. These guidebars 25 are included as a part of a pressure grip resisting apparatuscomprising an elongated. bar 28 having cutout portions 29 for thepassage of the bars 25 and to provide projections 30 which project intothe guiding grooves 25. Formed in this bar 28 is an opening 3|, throughwhich projects a shaft 3!! fixed to and carried by a bracket 32, in turnsecured to the plate 24 by spot welding or the like. Loosely mounted onthis shaft 3| is an expansion spring Secured to the bar 28 are eyeletbolts 34. Secured to a plate 35, in turn connected as at 36 to themounting plate 2!, are eyelet bolts 3'! spacedl substantially from theeyelet bolts 35 and connected to such bolts 34 by means of complementarysprings 38. These springs 38 have connec tion with their respectiveeyelet bolts, through the medium of the hook-shaped ends 39 thereof.Suitable cushioning stops are provided to limit the movement of the bar28 relative to the guide This cushioning stopping means includes a pairof rubber studs ti supported by brackets 42 connected to the plate 24 asat 43.

Secured to the bar 28 a at 4 and extending rearwardly therefrom betweenthe springs 38, is a connecting rod 45, bifurcated as at it. Positionedin this bifurcation it is a link 41 (Figs. 2 and 6). This link 41 ispivotally connected to the rod is by means of a pintle 48.

The upper end portion of the link Al terminates into a gripping bar 49.The link 41 projects through an escutcheon plate 5% provided by the topwall i3 and is pivoted to this escutcheon plate 58 by means of a pintle5!. The rear face 52 of the gripping bar 49 is provided with undulations53 to correspond to the shape and curvature of that portion of thefingers of the hand by which this bar is gripped.

A complementary gripping bar 54 is provided and this bar 4 is disposedforwardly of the bar $9 and formed as an integral part of the escutcheonplate 50. This escutcheon plate 58 provides a reduced portion 55 whichfits into an opening 5% formed in the top wall I3, and is secured inthis opening by means of a plate 57 secured to the reduced portion 5 bymeans of screws The plate 2i provides a portion 2i on which are mounteda transformer 69 and wire terminals or clamps M which afford connectionfor the circuit wires hereinafter more fully explained in reference toFig. 9. This transformer 6t and wire terminals or clamps 5i constituteno part of the present invention and are shown for illustrative purposesonly.

On the plate 2c is mounted a spring timing device of a well knownconstruction, including a reset arm 63 and a switch unit 64 comprisingcontact fingers 65 normally moved into contact with respect to eachother by bearing roller 65. This timin device 62 per se constitutes nopart of the present invention and, for that reason, only so much of thetiming device has been illus trated as necessary for an understanding ofthe operation herein.

On this plate 24 and insulated therefrom is a switch Gl' comprisingspring switch leaves ti and 69. Adjacent this switch 6? is a flexiblepressure leaf it having a projection ll formed of insulating materialand adapted, when bearing against the switch leaf 69, to move the latterinto contact with the switch leaf 68, the flexing of this leaf 1G beingeffected as hereinafter more fully described.

On the plate 2-5 is secured as at 7 I an upstanding plate 712. On thisplate 12 there are provided bearing brackets 73 which slidably supportreset rod i l. One end portion of this reset rod I l is angled toprovide a lateral extension I5 adapted to be engaged (Fig. 7) by an armit carried by the slide plate i! as at Ti. This arm '56 provides adepending finger 76 having a horizontal extension carrying a roller i9adapted to engage the leaf it for flexing the same in a manner to closethe switch El.

A link 8% is pivotally connected to the opposite end portion of thereset rod M as at iii. This link S 3 extends downwardly through thecutout portion 32 of the plate 25 and is adapted to have bearingengagement with a roller 82 carried by a drum i333 hereinafter morefully set forth. This link 89 is pivoted as at 84 to a bracket 85connected as at 85 to an adjacent portion of the plate 25.

Secured to the bar 28 as at 8? and extending rearwardly therefrom is apusher arm 83 having a lateral pin 8t adapted to engage an upstandingarm 98 secured as at 95 to the drum 83 and having a lateral extension 92carrying the roller 82.

The lower section I2 of the cabinet I9, beneath the cleats 20, providesa second pair of cleats which removably support a mounting plate 93. Onthis plate 93 is a U-shaped bracket 94, the limbs 95 of which rotatablysupport the drum 83.

This drum 83 carries a contact plate 96 having a slanting edg 91 forsuccessive engagement with a plurality of contact fingers 9B. The drum83 is formed of non-conductive material. These contact fingers 98 arecarried by a mounting board 99 of non-conductive material, and thismounting board 99 is supported from the plate 93 by ieet Illil. Thesecontact fingers 98 are each connected to circuit wires IE! I.

These circuit wires 50! are connected to one side of electric bulbs iii?(Fig. 9), the opposite sides IE3 of the bulbs being connected to acommon conductor Iii i in turn connected to one side N35 or thesecondary coil I of a transformer I87, the primary side 53:3 of thetransform-er it! being connected to the power line The opposite side 9I0 of the secondary coil {65 has connection with one of the contactfingers C5 of the switch Ed, the other contact finger 55 being connectedto the switch leaf 69 of the switch 67. The switch leaf E8 of thisswitch 6? is connected to the plate 96 as at 9?.

In Fig. 9, this circuit just described has been diagrammaticallyillustrated and whil I have shown only five lamps in this circuit, it isto be understood that the circuit will employ the number of lamps as aremounted on the panel IIi.

Referring to Fig. 9, the uppermost of the lamps I62 has incorporated inits circuit an electric bell H2 for reasons hereinafter more fully eX-plained. Shunted across the secondar coil I06 of the transformer Iil'lis an electric bulb lI3.

This bulb H3 is arranged in the socket IM, carried as at H5 by the panelIII. This panel III is hinged to an adjacent side wall H5 by means ofhingles l I? and latched in closed position by means of a suitable latchH8.

The face i I9 of the panel I II is provided with recesses I26, intowhich the sockets (not shown) carrying the bulbs I92 are adapted to bemounted. These bulbs I02 are arranged in alignment with respect to eachother to the rear of a glass I2I. The major portion of this glass I2I isopaque.

A longitudinal medial portion I22 thereof is semi-transparent and isdesigned to represent a thermometer I 23 with an enlarged area I24 5representing the mercury bowl, and an area I25 representing the channelthrough which mercury in a thermometer ordinarily rises. The glass IZIhas digits I25 appearing thereon to indicate the degree of grippressure. The light bulb H3 is disposed to the rear of the area irepresenting the mercury bulb.

The coin slide plate I! is returned to its normal position by means of aspring 75, fragmentarily illustrated in Fig. 5 and showing one endconnected to the arm 75, while the opposite end is intended to beconnected in any suitable manner to an adjacent portion of the frontwall Id of the cabinet section I2. Coins from the slide l! are intendedto drop into a coin channel H from whence they will pass into a suitablereceptacle (not shown).

The operation of my device is as follows. An operator will deposit acoin in the coin slide I5, which coin permits the slide plate means,shown in the United States Patent No. 1,998,380, to be moved inwardly.As the coin slide I5 is moved inwardly, the roller 79 will move awayfrom the leaf spring It, thus permitting the spring leaves 58 and 69 tomove from. contact with respect to each other to open the switch II.Continued inward movement of the slide I! brings the roller '59 intocontact with the reset arm I53 of the spring timing device 62 and, in awell known manner, the reset arm 63 will then close the switch 64, butas the switch 61 is opened, the circuit to the light bulbs 102" isbroken.

Continued inward movement brings the depending finger 16' into contactwith the lateral extension of the reset rod 14. -'Movement of this rod14 by inward movement of the slide l1 pivots the link 80 and thepivotalmovement of this link 80, by reason of the bearing engagementbetween the lower end portion of the link 80 and the roller 82, willrotate the drum 83 in an anti-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5,to move the plate 96 from engagement with the contact fingers 9B.

The operator, now firmly grips thebars 49 and 54 and'pre'sses the sametogether, thereby to pivot the link 4'! in a direction to move the bar28 relative to the guidebars in a direction to move the pin 89 intocontact with the of the slide ll arm 90, whereby to rotate the drum 83 adistance a commensurate with the movement of the bar 28 relative to theguide bars 25.

As the drum 83 is rotated, the contact fingers 98 will successivelyengage the plate 96 after the spring IT has returned the slide H to itsoutermost position, to a position where the roller 19 will bear againstthe spring leaf [9 to close the switch 61. cessively engage the plate96, the electric bulbs I02 will be successively illuminated to symbolizethe rise of mercury in the thermometer and, at the same time, toindicate the gripping pressure applied to the bars 49 and 54, asmeasured by the digits 126.

If the operator is successful in illuminating all of the bulbs 32, whenthe uppermost of these bulbs is illuminated, the bell H2 will beenergized and audibly announce that the operator has moved the pressuredevice, including the bar 28, to its maximum position.

As the drum 83 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5,the bearing engagement between the roller 82 and the lower end portionof the link 80 will reset the reset bar M to its original normalposition.

By providing the hinged panel Ill, replacement of the bulbs I92 may beconveniently made as and when required.

As soon as the switches 61 and 64 are closed, the area [24, symbolic ofthe mercury bulb of the thermometer, will be illuminated by the electricbulb H3 and this illumination will con tinue until the circuit is brokenby the opening of the switch 64.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into efiect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A grip testing device comprising a panel having a plurality ofelectric bulbs arranged in spaced relation thereon, an electric circuitfor said bulbs and means for controlling said electric circuit, saidmeans including a plurality of contact fingers, a rotatable drum havinga contact plate thereon adapted to successively engage said fingers, andhand grip pressure actuating means for rotating said drum in a directionto contact After the contact'fingers 98 suc- I the plate thereofsuccessively with said contact fingers.

2. A grip testing device comprising a panel having a plurality ofelectric bulbs arranged in spaced relation thereon, an electric circuitfor said gers, hand grip pressure actuating means for rotating said drumin a direction to contact the plate thereof successively with saidcontact fingers, and coin controlled means for rotating said drumin anopposite direction to move th plate of the drum from contact with saidcontact fingers.

3. A grip testing device comprising a panel having a plurality of'electric bulbs arranged in spaced relation thereon, an electric circuitfor said bulbs and means for controlling said electric circuit, saidmeans including a plurality of contact fingers, a rotatable drum havinga contact plate thereon adapted to successively engage said fingers, andhand grip pressure actuating means for rotating said drum in a directionto contact the plate thereof successivelywith said contact fingers, saidhand grip pressure actuating means including a pair of hand grippingbars movable relative to each other under hand gripping pressure andmeans for resisting movement of said bars.

4. A grip testing device comprising a panel having a plurality ofelectric bulbs arranged in spaced relation thereon, an electric circuitfor said bulbs and means for controlling said electric circuit, saidmeans including a plurality of contact fingers, a rotatable drum havingacontact plate thereon adapted to successively engage said fingers, handgrip pressure actuating means for rotating said drum in a direction tocontact the plate thereof succesively with said contact fingers, andcoin controlled means for rotating said drum in an opposite direction tomove the plate of the drum from contact with said contact fingers, saidhand grip pressure actuating means including a pair of hand grippingbars movable relative to each other under hand gripping pressure andmeans for resisting movement of said bars.

5. A grip testing apparatus comprising a cabinet having a panel themajor portion of which is opaque and with the minor area thereofsemitransparent, said semi-transparent area simulating a thermometer, amounting panel to the rear of said opaque panel, a plurality of electricbulbs arranged in aligned spaced relation with respect to each othercarried by said mounting panel to the rear of said semi-transparentarea. an electric circuit for said bulbs, and means for successivelyilluminating said electric bulbs, said means including a plurality ofstationary contact fingers, a rotatable plate adaptedto successivelyengage saidcontact fingers and grip pressure actuating means forrotating said plate in said successive engagement with said contactfingers,

6. A grip testing apparatus comprising a cabinet having a panel themajor portion of which is opaque and with the minor area thereofsemitransparent, said semi-transparent area simulating a thermometer, amounting panel to the rear of said opaque panel, a plurality of electricbulbs arranged in aligned spaced relation with respect to each othercarried by said mounting panel to the rear of said semi-transparentarea. an electric circuit for said bulbs, means for succoin controlledmeans for rotating said drum in,

an opposite direction to move the plate of the drum from contact withsaid contact fingers.

7. A grip testing apparatus comprising a cabinet having a panel themajor portion of which is opaque and with the minor area thereofsemitransparent, said semi-transpar nt area simulating a thermometer, amounting panel to the rear of said opaque panel, a plurality of electricbulbs arranged in aligned spaced relation With respect to each othercarried by said mounting panel to the rear of said semi-transparentarea, an electric circuit for said bulbs, and means for successivelyilluminating said electric bulbs, said means including a plurality ofstationary contact fingers, a rotatable plate adapted to successivelyengage said contact fingers and hand grip pressure actuating 'means forrotating said plate in said successive engagement with said contactfingers, said hand grip pressure actuating means including a pair ofhand gripping bars movable relative to each other under hand grippingpressure and means for resisting movement of said bars.

CLARE G. MEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

